Apparatus for subdividing and stacking webs of textile materials or the like



Dec. E?, 1966 E. HAEMCHT APPARATUS FOR SUBDIVIDING AND STACKING WEBS OFTEXTILE MATERIALS OR THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 24, 1965 y MEL E L l A I l i l l 1| Uw l l l l l l l Il MT @N Q\ /Q mm mm u mm mm mm@wm m w Q G /NVENTOR ERNST HA BICHT his A TTORNEY Dec.. 2% W66 E.HABICHT APPARATUS FOR SUBDIVIDING AND STACKING WEBS OF TEXTILE MATERIALSOR THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 24, 1965 /NVE/VTORI ERNST HAB/CHT Dec. 27 W66 E. HABICHT 3,293,965

APPARATUS FOR SUBDIVIDNG AND STACKING WEBS OF TEXTILE MATERIALS OR THELIKE Filed Aug. 24, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 NVENTOJ ERNST HAB/CHT Dec. 27,i966 E. HABICHT 3,293,965

` APPARATUS FOR SUBDIVIDING AND STACKING WEBS OF TEXTILE MATERIALS ORTHE LIKE Filed Aug. 24, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /NVENTOR ERNST HA B/CHTUnited States Patent O 3,293,965 APPARATUS FOR SUBDlVlDlNG AND STACKHNGWEBS F TEXTILE MATERIALS 0R THE LIKE Ernst Habicht, Urfeld, near Bonn,Germany, assignor to Emil Hoogland G.rn.b.H., Bonn-Nord, Germany FiledAug. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 482,154 17 Claims. (Cl. 813-87) The presentinvention relates to an apparatus for subdividing and stacking websconsisting of textile, paper, plastic or similar material. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to improvements in apparatus whereinsheets constituting sections of webs are piled up on top of each otherto form one or more stacks such as may be used for mass processing ingarment industry, in paper industry or in any other industry where suchstacks may be further processed or put to immediate use.

Conventional apparatus of this general character are normally providedwith a cutting device which is installed at one end of the table andserves to subdivide a yweb which is drawn from a supply of convolutedstock. A serious drawback of such apparatus is that the sections whichare separated from the web must be transported independenly of thecutting device and that the apparatus are too complicated and tooexpensive. Also, conventional apparatus do not allow for assembly of aseries ot' stacks each of which comprises a different number of sheetsor consist of sheets having different lengths. Finally, conventionalapparatus cannot be used for selectively adding sheets to any one of aseries of stacks which are assembled on the top face of the -worksupporting table.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention toprovide a very simple, rugged and inexpensive but highly versatileapparatus which may be used for subdividing one or more webs intosections of desired length, for accumulating such sections into stacksof desired height, and of selectively adding one or more sections to anyone of a series of stacks on the table.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the justoutlined characteristics which is constructed and assembled in such away that all of its component parts may be manipulated by a singleoperator who can be positioned at any desired point along the table andwho can manipulate the apparatus with a minimum of effort.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus forsubdividing and stacking sections of webs of textile material or thelike and to construct the apparatus in such a way that it can accumulatestacks each of which consists of a different material, all of whichconsists of the same material, or wherein each stack may be assembled ofsheets or sections consisting of two or more different materials.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of theabove outlined type wherein each fresh- 'f separated section of the webis automatically smoothed to eliminate eventual folds, pleats or otherunevennesses so that each section of each stack lies at against theadjoining section or sections.

Another object of the invention is to provide an vapparatus foraccumulating stacks of identical or different length and to provide theapparatus with a travelling cutting device so that each section may besevered from the web after it has been moved into requisite positionwith reference to the table and `after it has been properly retained insuch position.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide an apparatuswherein the sections of the web are smoothed in automatic response toshifting of the cutting device to requisite -position for a severing orsubdividing operation.

Patented Dec. 27, 1966 'ice An additional object of my invention is toprovide an apparatus which may be used lfor accumulation and storage ofany desired number of stacks and wherein such stacks may be assembled atany desired distance from each other, in any desired sequence, and toany desired height.

Briefly stated, one feature of my present invention resides in theprovision of an apparatus for subdividing webs consisting of textile orsimilar material which is normally furnished in large rolls. Theapparatus comprises an enlongated supporting table, a feed adjacent toone longitudinal end of the table and including at least 4one supply ofweb stock, a plurality of preferably gantryshaped pressing units whichare movable in the longitudinal direction of the table and each of whichincludes a vertically movable presser member or bar extendingtransversely across the top face of the table so that it may rest on onelongitudinal end of a stack of sheets which are obtained on subdivisionof the stock, a holder or crosshead extending transverely across the topface of the table and arranged to support a suitable cutting devicewhich can be moved transversely lacross the stock, guide meanspreferably including two rails or two groups of rails and an invertedU-shaped carriage arranged to support the holder in such a -way that theholder can travel above and past the presser members in directionstoward and away from the feed, and clamping means associated with theholder and arranged to releasably attach the leading end of the stock tothe holder so that the stock then shares the movement of the holder.

Due to the fact that the holder and its cutting device may bypass thepresser members, the operator can move the holder above and past any oneof several stacks of web sections which are supported on the top face ofthe table. Once the leading end of the web stock is moved into registerywith the forward end of a selected stack, the operator releases theclamping device and moves the holder` in opposite direction until thecutting device registers -with the rear end of the selected stack. Thecutting device is then moved transversely across the web to sever asheet therefrom, and the ends of the thus separated section or sheet aretucked under the respective presser members tn keep them in requisiteposition.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theimproved apparatus itself, however, both as to its con-struction and itsmode of operation, together with additional features and advantagesthereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detaileddescription of a specific embodiment with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the apparatus as seen from theleft-hand side of FIG. 1, with the feed omitted;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the cutting device, withcertain parts shown in vertical section; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan View of the structure shown in FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIG. l shows an apparatus forsubdividing and stacking webs 19 of textile material, paper, wall paperor the like. The apparatus comprises a preferably horizontal elongatedtable 11 which is mounted on a frame structure including a lseries ofuprights 13 mounted on vertically adjustable legs 15 serving to selectthe height and inclination of the rectangular top face of the table. Thefeed is arranged at the left-hand longitudinal end of the table 11 andcomprises a trough-shaped receptacle 21 which accommodates a supply 17of convoluted web stock. The web 19 is advanced by a horizontal take-offroll 23 which is mounted on brackets 11a supported by the table 11 andis driven by a reversible variable-speed electric motor 23a. The motor23a is controlled by a multi-position switch 25 coupled with anelongated actuating member or trip 27 which extends longitudinally alongone marginal portion of the table 11 `and may adjust the motor 23a in anumber of ways. Thus, the operator standing in front of the table 11 mayshift the trip 27 to a first end position to drive the roll 23 in acounterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, to a neutral or centralposition in which the motor 23a is arrested, to a second end position inwhich the roll 23 is driven in a clockwise direction, and preferably toa number of intermediate positions in which the motor 23a is driven inforward or reverse but always at a different speed. If desired, theswitch 25 may be provided with a second longitudinally extending tripwhich is adjacent to the other longitudinally extending marginal portionof the table 11. This will enable the operator to regulate the operationof the motor 23a from either side of the table and regardless of whetherthe operator stands close to or has moved further away from the roll 23.

The uprights 13 are provided at both longitudinal sides of the table 11and each such set of uprights supports a pair of horizontal guideways orrails 29 which are located at a level below the table 11 and extend inparalellism with the trip or trips 27. The rails 29 serve to guide pairsof wheels 31 which are mounted in small horizontally extending framemembers 33 so that the frame members 33 and the corresponding pairs ofWheels 31 together form a pair of dollies which are reciprocable in thelongitudinal direction of the respective pairs of rails 29. Each suchdolly carries a pair of upwardly extending parallel guide bars includinga longer guide bar 35 and a shorter guide bar 35a. The upper endportions of the longer guide bars 35 are rigidly connected with eachother by one or more horizontal traverses 37 (see FIG. 2) so that thetwo dollies, the two pairs of guide bars 35, 35a and the traverses 37together form an inverted U-shaped carriage F which 'bridges the table11 and is reciprocable in the longitudinal direction of the rails 29.Each pair of guide bars 35, 35a supports two pairs of guide rollers 39which are disposed between the respective guide bars and serve as guidesfor vertically reciprocable profiled legs 41. Each of these legsresembles a ladder and is provided with transversely extendinghorizontal rungs 41a which may be gripped by hand to facilitate movementof such legs with reference to the carriage F. The purpose of the guiderollers 39 is to allow for reciprocation of the legs 41 with a minimumof effort. The upper end portions of the legs 41 are rigidly connectedwith a holder 43, hereinafter also called crosshead or cutter bar, whichextends transversely across the top face of the table 11. The parts 41,41 and 43 together form a second inverted U-shaped carriage or gantry Gwhich shares all longitudinal movements of the carriage F but is movableup and down with reference thereto. The traverses 37 of the carriage Fare provided at a level at least slightly above the topmost sheets ofthe row of stacks 63 which `are supported by the top face of the table11, and the crosshead 43 may also be lifted to such a level so that thecarriage F and the gantry G may be advanced along the full length of thetable 11 despite the fact that the latter supports one or more stacks 63of superimposed sheets of textile or other material.

The crosshead 43 supports a clamping or retaining member 45 whichresembles an L-bar (see particularly FIG. 3) and serves to engage and toclamp the leading end of the web 19 against the top face of thecrosshead 43. The upwardly extending flange of the clamping member 45 iswelded or otherwise rigidly connected to one arm 71 of a two-armedmanipulating lever 47 which is rockable about the axis of a transversehorizontal shaft 69 and whose longer arm is provided with a handle 65adapted to be gripped by hand so as to move the clamping member 45toward or away from the top face of the crosshead 43. FIG. 2 shows thatthe clamping member 45 may be connected with two levers 47 each of whichis adjacent to one longitudinally extending marginal portion of thetable 11 so that the web 19 may be clamped or released by an operatorstanding at either side of the apparatus. The shaft 69 is mounted at therear ends of two upwardly inclined bearing brackets 67 which are securedto the -crosshead 43 and extend in a direction toward the take-off roll23.

The top panel of the crosshead 43 is formed with a transverselyextending slot or gap 73 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) for the cutting edge of adisk-shaped knife 51 which is rotatable about a longitudinally extendinghorizontal axis and forms part of a cutting or severing device 49mounted on the crosshead 43. The housing of the cutting device 49accommodates an electric motor which may be connected to a source ofelectrical energy by means of a cable 50 best shown in FIG. 2. Theentire cutting device 49 is mounted for travel in the longitudinaldirection of the slot 73 (i.e., transversely of the table 11) so that itmay sever the web 19 to separate therefrom a sheet which can be placedon top of one of the stacks 63.

Each set of uprights 13 further supports an additional pair of guidewaysor rails 53 which may be 'located at a level close to the underside ofthe table 11 and support several pairs of horizontally reciprocableslides 55. Each slide 55 is provided with two pairs of guide rollers 57for vertical arms 59 each of which is reciprocable up and down. Theupper end portions of transversely aligned arms 59 are connected to eachother by horizontal presser members or presser bars 61 which rest on andextend transversely across the uppermost sheets or sections of thestacks 63. Each presser bar 61 forms with the associated pair of arms 59an additional inverted U-shaped carriage or gantry (hereinafter calledpressing unit) which may be shifted longitudinally of the rails 53 andwhich can also move up and down so as to locate the presser bar 61 at adesired level. FIG. 2 shows that the rails 53 are mounted in the spacebetween the two pairs of guide bars 35, 35a so that the carriage F andthe gantry G may be moved along and past the pressing units.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show that the crosshead 43 supports a pivotably mountedsmoothing or ironing element 75 which is adjacent to the front side ofthe crosshead (i.e., opposite the clamping member 45) and is rockableabout the axes of transverse horizontal pivots 77. The underside of theironing element 75, which is preferably crowned or roll-shaped, extendsforwardly and upwardly and may be biased to such position of inclinationby one or more springs, not shown. If the weight of the clamping member45 does not suice to press the leading end of the web 19 against thecrosshead 43 with a requisite force, the crosshead may carry one or moresprings (not shown) which bias the levers 47 in a clockwise direction,as viewed in FIG. 3. Also, the apparatus of my invention may be equippedwith suitable drives which can move the carriage F, the gantry G and/orthe pressing units along the respective rails. However, Ithe provisionof aforementioned wheels and guide rollers reduces the friction to suchan extent that little effort is required to move the parts F, G and 61in the longitudinal direction of the table 11.

The apparatus of my invention is operated as follows:

The web 19 is to be subdivided into sections or sheets of desired lengthand such sections must be assembled to form one, two or more s-tacks 63each of which is supported by the top face of the table 11. The operatordepresses one of the handles 65 and places the leading end of the web 19between the top face of the crosshead 43 and the clamping member 45.Once the handle 65 is released, the clamping member 45 rests on theleading end and clamps the web 19 to insure that the web will advancewith the carriage F. As stated before, the crosshead 43 may carry one ormore springs which bias the clamping member 45 against the leading endof the web 19. It is also possible to provide the underside of theclamping member 45 and/ or the top face of the crosshead 43 with aroughened surface or with a liner of friction generating material toimprove the clamping action. The motor 23a is started by the trip 27 ina sense to drive the take-off roll in a clockwise direction, as viewedin FIG. 1, so that the web 19 is advanced in a direction to the right.The operator engages one of the guide bars 35 or 35a and pushes thecarriage F in a direction to the right. Such movement of the carriage Frequires very little effort because the carriage travels on wheels 31and because the web 19 is being paid out by the roll Z3. However, and asalso mentioned hereinbefore, the apparatus may comprise a drive whichcan reciprocate the carriage F along the rails 29. The speed of the roll23 may be regulated by moving the trip 27 to an intermediate position.

When the carriage F reaches the forward (righthand) end of that stack 63which is to receive an additional section or sheet, the trip 27 isshifted to neutral position to arrest the motor 23a and the operatordepresses one of the handles 65 so as to lift Athe clamping member 45above and away from the leading end of the web. The operator then graspsthe leading end of the web 19 and tucks it under the adjoining presserbar 61. Since the arms 59 are reciprocable between pairs of guiderollers 57, slight lifting of the presser bars 61 requires a minimum ofeffort. As shown in FIG. l, the arms 57 may also resemble ladders andcan be provided with horizontal rungs 59a to facilitate lifting of thecoresponding presser bars 61.

The leading end of the web 19 is now properly located with reference tothe elected stack 63 so that its front edge registers with the frontedges of the sheets therebelow. The operator then pushes the carriage Fin a direction to the left, as viewed in FIG. l, and simultaneouslykeeps one of the handles 65 in depressed position so that the clampingmember 45 is lifted above the web 19. The carriage F is brought to ahalt when the slot 73 registers with the lefthand vertical side of theselected stack 63. During such movement of the carriage F in a directionto the left, i.e., in a direction toward the take-olf roll 23, thecrosshead 43 slides below the web 19 and entrains the cutting device 49together with the ironing element 75. As a rule, the cutting device 49is normally shifted to one of its end positions, i.e., laterally of thetable 11 or at least laterally of the stacks 53. Once the slot 73 isproperly aligned with the rear vertical side of the selected stack 63,the operator starts the motor of the cutting device 49 and moves thecutting device across the web 19 so that the knife 51 forms a transversecut and separates from the web a section or sheet whose lengthcorresponds to the length of the sheets which are located therebelow.The carriage F is then moved out of the way and the operator tucks thetrailing end of the freshly separated section under the adjoiningpresser bar 61. The latter is preferably lifted to facilitate insertionof the trailing end below. If desired, the presser bars 61 may be biasedby spr-ings which urge them into stronger engagement with the topmostsections of the respective stacks 63. However, it normally sufces to userelatively heavy presser bars and to allow them to press the ends of thestacks 63 by their own weight, i.e., without the assistance of springsor similar biasing means.

In order to add a further :section on top of the just separated section,the operator proceeds in a manner as outlined above. Thus, the motor 23a(which was arrested during movement of the carriage F toward the roll23) is started again in a sense to rotate the roll 23 in a clockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 1, and the leading end of the web isclamped between the member 45 and crosshiegag 43. The operator thenadvances the `carriage F along the rails 29 until the leading end of theweb 19 overlies the forward end of the uppermost section in the selectedstack.

6 The leading end of the web 19 is then tucked under the adjoiningpresser bar 61, the motor 23a is arrested, the handle 65 is depressedt-o disengage the clamping member 45, and the carriage F is moved in adirection to the left until the slot 73 overlies the rear edge of theuppermost section.

It will be noted that the clamping member 45 will automatically engagethe leading end of the remainder of the web 19 when the knife 51 hasseparated a fresh section from the web. This will be readily understoodsince, during cutting, the clamping member 45 automatically descendsinto engagement with that portion of the web 19 which will constitutethe leading end as soon as the knife 51 has been caused to `advance allthe way across the selected stack 63. In other words, the leading end ofthe web 19 must be actually inserted between the members 43, 45 onlyonce, namely, when the operator is about to start the -cutting orsubdividing and stacking operation.

When the carriage F moves in a direction to the left, as viewed in FIG.1, the ironing element 75 slides along the underside of the frontportion of the web 19 and eliminates eventual folds so that, uponseparation of a fresh section, the latter lies smoothly on top of theadjoining section. In other words, the ironing element 75 engages theunderside of the web 19 prior -to severing, and the fact that theelement 75 is rockable about the pivots 77 contributes to highlysatisfactory smoothing action.

A very important advantage of the improved apparatus is that theoperator can select any of several stacks 63 on the table 11 fordeposition of one or more additional sections thereon. This is due tothe fact that the gantry G may be readily lifed to such an extent thatthe crosshead 43 will move at a level above the stacks 63, and alsobecause the carriage F and the gantry G can travel along the pressingunits. Each stack 63 may contain a series of sections of any desiredlength, i.e., the length of sections in the vari-ous stacks 63 need notbe the same. Also, the height of the stacks 63 need not be the same;this is clearly shown in FIG. l, wherein the height of the rightmoststack exceeds the height of the other two stacks and wherein the heightof the median stack is less than that of the leftmost stack. It isfurther to :be noted that the t-able 11 may have any desired practicallength so that it may be used for accumulation of a large number ofstacks. For example, the rightmost stack 63 of FIG. 1, may consist ofsections whose length may exceed once or more than once the combinedlength of the remaining stacks.

If the loperator wishes to increase the height of the two outer stacks63 'shown in FIG. l, and to bypass the median stack 63, he simply liftsthe gantry G to such a level that the crosshead 43 will be free totravel above the median stack and that the leading end of the web L19may be advanced all the -way to the right-hand end of the rightmoststack. During movement of the carriage F in a direction toward the roll23, the trip 27 may be adjusted to drive the motor 23a in reverse sothat the web 19 will be fed back to the receptacle 21 until the clampingmember 45 reaches a desired position.

It is further clear that the apparatus of my invention may be providedwith two or more sources of convoluted web material so that the sectionsof each stack 63 may consist of a different material. Still further,ea-ch stack may be assembled of sections which are drawn from differentsources. It is also possible to provide a second lcarriage F which willbe used for severing of webs lwhich are stored at the righthand end ofthe table 11, as viewed in FIG. 1.

The arms 57 and the legs 41 may be reciprocated by small servo motors orthe like. Also, the gantry G and/ or the pressing units may be providedwith suitable locking or locating devices which will maintain thecrosshead 43 Aand the presser bars 61 at a selected level above thetable 11 but `will allow for rapid and convenient adjustment in thevertical position of the parts 43 and 61.

Due to the fact that the pressing units are shiftable in thelongitudinal direction of the rails 53, the presser bars 61 may be movedto requisite positions to engage the longitudinal ends of relativelyshort, medium sized or very long sections. Since the presser bars 61 arealso movable up and down, they can properly engage the topmost sectionsof relatively high or relatively low stacks` 63. The rollers 57 reducethe friction to such an extent.

that practically the entire weight of each presser bar 61 may be put touse to insure proper retention of the sections.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featureswhich fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic andspecitic aspects of my contribution of the art and, therefore, suchadaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within themeaning yand range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for subdividing webs consisting of textile or similarmaterial, an elongated supporting table having a top face; a feedadjacent to one longitudinal end of said table and including a supply ofweb stock; a plurality of pressing units including presser membersextending transversely across said top face; a holder extendingtransversely across said -top face; means for supporting said holder insuch `a way that the holder can travel above and past said pressermembers in directions toward and away from said feed; and clamping meansassociated with said holder and arranged to releasably attach theleading end of the stock to said holder so that the stock shares themovement of said holder.

2. In an apparatus for subdividing webs consisting of textile or similarmaterial, an elongated supporting table having a top face; a feedadjacent to one longitudinal end of said table and including a supply ofweb stock; a plurality of pressing units including presser membersextending transversely across said top face; a holder extendingtransversely across said top face; means for supporting said holder insuch a way that the holder can travel above and past said pressermembers in directions toward and away from said feed; clamping meansassociated with said holder and arranged to releasably attach theleading end of the stock to said holder so that the stock shares themovement of said holder in a direction away from said feed; and anironing element associated with said holder and arranged to smooth thestock during movement of said holder in a direction toward said feedsubsequent to disengagement of the stock by said clamping means.

3. In an apparatus for subdividing webs consisting of textile or similarmaterial, an elongated supporting table having a top face; a feedadjacent to one longitudinal end of said table and including a supply ofweb stock, said stock having a leading end; a plurality of pressingunits including presser members extending transversely across said -topface; a carriage including a vertically reciprocable holder extendingtransversely across said top face; guide means arranged to guide saidcarriage longitudinally of said table and in such a way that, onvertical adjustment thereof, said holder can travel `above and past saidpresser members; a clamping device connected with said holder andarranged to detachably clamp the leading end of the stock to said holderso that the stock then shares the movement of said carriage in adirection away from said feed; and an ironing element connected withsaid holder and arranged to smooth the stock during movement of saidholder toward said feed subsequent to disengagement of said clampingdevice from the leading end of the stock.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 3, wherein said holder is locatedbetween said clamping device and said ironing element and said clampingdevice is nearer to said feed than said ironing element.

5. In an apparatus for subdividing webs consisting of textile or similarmaterial, an elongated supporting table having a top face and a pair ofparallel longitudinally extending marginal portions; a feed adjacent toone longitudinal end of said table and including a supply of web stock,said stock having a leading end; a plurality of pressing units includingpresser members extending transversely across said top face; elongatedguide rails extending in parallelism with and at a level below saidmarginal portions; a carriage including wheel-mounted dolliesreciprocable along said rails, upwardly extending guide members securedto each of said dollies; and a gantry including a pair of verticallyreciprocable legs guided by said guide members and a crosshead extendingtransversely across said top face, said crosshead being movable aboveand past said presser members in response to vertical adjustment of saidlegs and on movement of said dollies along the respective rails; and aclamping device connected with said crosshead and arranged to detachablyhold the leading end of the stock against said crosshead so that thestock then shares the movement of said carriage in a direction away fromsaid feed.

6. A structure as set forth in claim 5, wherein said carriage furthercomprises .guide rollers secured to said guide members and arranged toguide the respective legs for movement up and down along the respectivemarginal portions of said table.

7. A structure as set forth in claim 5, further comprising second .guiderails extending in parallelism with and at a level above said firstnamed rails, each of said pressing units further comprising a pair ofslides reciprocable along said second guide rails and a pair of armsvertically reciprocably supported by the respective slides and connectedto the ends of the respective presser bar so that such presser bars aremovable toward and away from said top face in response to displacementof said arms with reference to said slides, the distance between saidarms being less than the distance between said guide members so thatsaid guide members and said legs can travel along said arms and alongsaid slides.

8. In an apparatus for subdividing webs consisting of textile or similarmaterial, an elongated supporting table having -a top face; a feedadjacent to one longitudinal end of said table and including a supply ofweb stock; a plurality of pressing units including presser membersextending transversely across said top face; a holder extendingtransversely across said top face; means for supporting said holder insuch ia way that the holder can travel above and past said pressermembers in directions toward and away from said feed; a clamping device;and manually operable manipulating means movably coupling said clampingdevice to said holder so that the clamping device may releasably attachthe leading end of the stock to the holder whereby the stock may sharethe movement of said holder and said clamping device.

9. In an apparatus for subdividing websgconsisting of -textile orsimilar material, an elongated supporting table having a top face; afeed adjacent to one longitudinal end of said table and including asupply of web stock; a plurality of pressing units including pressermembers extending transversely across said top face; a holder extendingtransversely across said top face; means for supporting said holder insuch a way that the holder can travel above and past said pressermembers in directions toward and away from said feed; clamping meansassociated with said holder and arranged to releasably attach theleading end of the stock to said holder so that the stock shares themovement of said holder in a direction away from said feed; an ironingelement adjacent to said holder, and pivot means coupling said ironingelement to said holder for angular movement about an axis which extendstransversely of and is substantially parallel to the top face of saidtable, said ironing element being arranged to smooth the stock frombelow during movement of said holder in a direction toward said feedsubsequent to disengagement of said clamping means from the stock.

l0. In an apparatus for subdividing webs of textile or similar materialinto sections of desired length and for accumulating such sections intostacks, an elongated supporting table having a top face; a feed adjacentto one longitudinal end of the table and including at least one supplyof convoluted web stock having a leading end; a plurality of invertedU-shaped pressing units movable in the longitudinal direction of saidtable and each including a presser bar extending transversely acrosssaid top face, each of said presser bars being movable up and downtoward and away from said top face; an inverted U-shaped carriagemovable in the longitudinal direction of said table and arranged tobypass said pressing units, an inverted U-shaped gantry mounted in saidcarriage and including a crosshead extending transversely across saidtop face, said crosshead ybeing movable up and down with reference tosaid carriage so that it may be lifted to a level above said presserbars during movement of lnhe carriage past said pressing units; aclamping device provided between said crosshead and said feed; means formoving said clamping device away from and toward said crosshead so thatthe clamping device may attach the leading end of the stock to thecrosshead whereby the stock shares the movement of the crosshead awayfrom said feed and its leading end may be tucked under one of saidpresser bars upon disengagement of said clamping device; and a cuttingdevice mounted on and movable in the longitudinal direction of saidcrosshead to sever the stock and to thus form a section upon movement ofthe crosshead back toward said feed so that the trailing end of the thusseparated section may be tucked under another one of said presser bars.

lll. A structure as set forth in claim lil, wherein said carriagecomprises Wheels and further comprising elongated guide rails disposedat a level below and extending longitudinally of said table to supportand guide said wheels.

l2. A structure as set forth in claim 10, wherein said carriagecomprises guide rollers and said gantry further comprises legs connectedto the ends of said crosshead and slidably guided by said rollers.

13. A structure as set forth in clairn 10, wherein said feed furtherincludes a take-off roll extending transversely of said table andengaging the stock, reversible variablespeed motor means drivinglyconnected with said takeoi roll, and elongated actuating means forregulating said moto-r, said actuating means extending in thelongitudinal direction of said table so that the motor may be regulatedby remote control.

14. A structure as set forth in claim 10, further cornprising elongatedguide rails extending at a level below and in parallelism with thelongitudinal marginal portions of said table, each of said pressingunits comprising a pair of slides each guided by one of said rails and apair of vertical arms reciprocably guided by said slides and connectedwith the ends of the respective presser bar so that such presser barsmay be lifted or lowered in response to movement of the correspondingarms with reference to said slides.

15. In an apparatus for subdividing webs of textile or similar materialinto sections of desired length and for accumulating such sections intostacks, an elongated supporting table having a substantially horizontalrectangular top face; means for adjusting the height and inclination ofsaid top face; a feed adjacent to one longitudinal end of the table andincluding at least one supply of convoluted web stock having a leadingend; a plurality of inverted U-shaped units movable in the longitudinaldirection of said table and each including a presser bar extendingtransversely across said top face, each of said presser bars beingmovable up and down toward and away from said top face; an invertedU-shaped carriage movable in the longitudinal direction of said tableand arranged to bypass said pressing units; an inverted U-shaped gantrymounted in said carriage and including a crosshead extendingtransversely 4across said top face, said crosshe-ad being movable up anddown with reference to said carriage so that it may be lifted to a levelabove said presser bars during movement of the carriage past saidpressing units; a clamping device provided between said crosshead andsaid feed; means for moving said clamping device away from and towardsaid crosshead so that the clamping device may attach the leading end ofthe stock to the crosshead whereby the stock shares the movement of thecrosshead away from said feed and its leading end may be tucked underone of said presser bars upon disengagement of said clamping device; acutting device mounted on and movable in the longitudinal direction ofsaid crosshead to sever the stock and to thus form a section uponmovement of the crosshead back toward said feed so that the trailing endof the thus separated section may be tucked under another one of saidpresser bars; and an ironing device connected with said crosshead andarranged to smooth a section from below during movement of said carriagetoward said feed.

16. In an apparatus for subdividing webs of textile or similar material,an elongated supporting table having a top face; a plurality of pressingunits including presser members extending transversely across said topface; a holder extending transversely across said top face; means forsupporting said holder for movement in the longitudinal direction ofsaid table in such a way that the holder can travel above and past saidpresser members; and a cutting device mounted Ion and movablelongitudinally of said holder transversely across said top face.

17. In an apparatus for subdividing webs consisting of textile orsimilar material, an elongated supporting table having a top face; afeed adjacent to one longitudinal end of said table and including asupply of web stock; a plurality of pressing units including pressermembers extending transversely across said top face; a holder extendingtransversely across said top face; means for supporting said holder insuch a way that the holder can travel above and past said pressermembers in directions toward and away from said feed; a cutting devicemounted on said holder for movement transversely across said top face;and clamping means associated with said holder and arranged toreleasably attach the leading end of the stock to said holder so thatthe stock shares the movement of said holder.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,845 3 1910Shields 270--30 1,158,686 11/1915 Henning 83-453 X 1,812,406 6/1931Jenkins 83-452. 2,162,879 6/1939 Breth 270-30 2,502,745 4/ 1950lPerignat 270-31 FOREIGN PATENTS 562,218 4/ 1958 Canada.

ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner.

10. IN AN APPARATUS FOR SUBDIVIDING WEBS OF TEXTILE OR SIMILAR MATERIALINTO SECTIONS OF DESIRED LENGTH AND FOR ACCUMULATING SUCH SECTIONS INTOSTACKS, AN ELONGATED SUPPORTING TABLE HAVING A TOP FACE; A FEED ADJACENTTO ONE LONGITUDINAL END OF THE TABLE AND INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE SUPPLYOF CONVOLUTED WEB STOCK HAVING A LEADING END; A PLURALITY OF INVERTEDU-SHAPED PRESSING UNITS MOVABLE IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF SAIDTABLE AND EACH INCLUDING A PRESSER BAR EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ACROSSSAID TOP FACE, EACH OF SAID PRESSER BARS BEING MOVABLE UP AND DOWNTOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID TOP FACE; AN INVERTED U-SHAPED CARRIAGEMOVABLE IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF SAID TABLE AND ARRANGED TOBYPASS SAID PRESSING UNITS, AN INVERTED U-SHAPED GANTRY MOUNTED IN SAIDCARRIAGE AND INCLUDING A CROSSHEAD EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAIDTOP FACE, SAID CROSSHEAD BEING MOVABLE UP AND DOWN WITH REFERENCE TOSAID CARRIAGE SO THAT IT MAY BE LIFTED TO A LEVEL ABOVE SAID PRESSERBARS DURING MOVEMENT OF THE CARRIAGE PAST SAID PRESSING UNITS; ACLAMPING DEVICE PROVIDED BETWEEN SAID CROSSHEAD AND SAID FEED; MEANS FORMOVING SAID CLAMPING DEVICE AWAY FROM AND TOWARD SAID CROSSHEAD SO THATTHE CLAMPING DEVICE MAY ATTACH THE LEADING END OF THE STOCK TO THECROSSHEAD WHEREBY THE STOCK SHARES THE MOVEMENT OF THE CROSSHEAD AWAYFROM SAID FEED AND ITS LEADING END MAY BE TUCKED UNDER ONE OF SAIDPRESSER BARS UPON DISENGAGEMENT OF SAID CLAMPING DEVICE; AND A CUTTINGDEVICE MOUNTED ON AND MOVABLE IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF SAIDCROSSHEAD TO SEVER THE STOCK AND TO THUS FORM A SECTION UPON MOVEMENT OFTHE CROSSHEAD BACK TOWARD SAID FEED SO THAT THE TRAILING END OF THE THUSSEPARATED SECTION MAY BE TUCKED UNDER ANOTHER ONE OF SAID PRESSER BARS.